Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony is out approximately 1-2 weeks after straining his right groin, the team announced Tuesday.
Coach Mike D’Antoni offered no update on Amare Stoudemire either, which means the Knicks will roll out the same Band-Aid starting line up that handled Utah Monday night.
Anthony scored two points and played just five minutes in Monday’s 99-88 win over the Jazz. He threw an alley-oop to Tyson Chandler midway through the first quarter and started to limp shortly after.
He called timeout on the next play and went to the bench before heading to the locker room. Anthony did not return to the game but did rejoin the bench in street clothes. He was not available to reporters after the game.
The Knicks were already missing Stoudemire, who went to Florida to mourn the loss of his brother, Hazell, who died in a car crash Monday morning.
Jeremy Lin shined without the Knicks’ two star players in the lineup, turning in 28 points and eight assists in his first career start.
New York is 0-3 this season without Anthony in the lineup. The forward has suffered injuries to his left wrist, right ankle and right thumb this season. He sat out against Oklahoma City Jan.14 after hurting his wrist and ankle two nights before in Memphis.
Anthony tried to play through the injuries but struggled with his shooting. In the six following games, Anthony shot 40-for-126 from the field before deciding to sit two games in late January to rest his ailments. He is averaging 22.3 points this season.
The Knicks overcame Utah with a balanced attack and incredible play from Lin. Steve Novak also scored a season-high 19 points and hit five 3-pointers. The Knicks play at Washington Wednesday.
“We just got to give a total team effort the way we did last night,” said Chandler, the Knicks last standing star player. “When you have guys out you have an opportunity for another guy to step in.”
Anthony could possibly return when the Knicks host the Dallas Mavericks on national television Feb. 19, which also starts a stretch where New York plays four games in five nights, ending in Miami against LeBron James and the Heat.
On the bright side, sitting with the groin injury could give Anthony some time to rest his other pains as well.
“(That’s) if you’re looking for a silver lining,” D’Antoni said. “That won’t make me sleep better at night, but that does sound good to me.”
WRITTEN BY Christopher Hunt is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com & FULL STORY HERE
